In a prior development, it was discovered that the tendency of a cutting chain to kick back can be dramatically reduced by modifying the configuration of a top sharpenable cutting link. The depth gauge provided on the cutting link is twisted outwardly, front to back, and extended back to a point adjacent the leading cutting point i.e. just forward of the cutting point, just inside the side plate cutting edge and just below the top plate cutting edge. (See U.S. application Ser. No. 600,005; Filed: 4/13/84, by Gibson et al and assigned to the assignee of this application).
The improved depth gauge of the Gibson development can only be utilized for saw chain cutting links designed to be top sharpened in that the more conventional type of saw chain cutting links are designed to be sharpened by inserting a file between the cutting edge and the depth gauge, thus requiring a substantial spacing between the depth gauge and the leading cutting point. Top sharpenable chain does not require the spacing between the depth gauge and cutting edges for sharpening, and thus can be modified to include the improved depth gauge. However, top sharpenable chain designs are primarily useful as an automatically sharpenable chain and such automatic sharpening does require a spacing between the cutting edge and depth gauge. Gibson's development eliminated the very desirable feature of top sharpenable chains.